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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. current — electric
  4. tube — a container
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — shares
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. current — happening now
  18. stock — goods
  19. deal — to handle
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com